Floating equipment.



c. R. SWANSON.

FLOATING EQUIPMENT. APPLICATION FILED OCT-Q. NH-

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Patemied June 4:, 1918.

IITWVQVI1$O q gmcznsan appertains to make and use it We l FLOATING EQUIPMENT.

receive.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'zliune 4}, 191%,

Application filed October 9, 1917. Serial No. 195,546,

7 '0 aiZ "whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL R. SwANso an American citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Marshall, in the county of Lyon and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floatin Equipment; and I do hereby declare the fofiowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Wlll enable others skilled in the art to which it the same.

his Invention relates to floating-equipment for soldiers or others. and has for its object to provide improved means whereby a soldier may pass through rivers, lakes, or

I other bodies of water without sinking.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide means whereby the soldier will be relieved of the greater part of the weight of his gun, while passing through a body of water.

. I have illustrated With these objects in view, the invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically claimed.

In order that the construction and operation thereof may be readily comprehended, an approved embodiment of my invention in the 'accompanyin .drawings'and will now proceed to fully escribe the same in connection with said drawings, in which Figure 1 represents, in front view, a soldier fully equipped with the several parts of my invention,

v Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view of one of the air bags,

1g. 3, an enlarged transverse sectional view of the broken off inflating end of one of the wind bags,

Fig. 4, a transverse sectional view of the inflating end of one of the wind bags,

ig. 5, a view in elevation, of one of the wind bags for attachment to a gun, and

Fig. 6, a rear view of the body, showing a bag to be fitted on the back.

Like reference characters mark the same parts, wherever they appear in any of the figures of the drawings.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 indicates a hat or helmet on the soldier, oi a suitable material such as linoleum, which will not be ruined, or seriously damaged, by

contact with water and 7 indicates a breast plate of like material, the breast plate bemeans, the leggings or puttees being also of like material proof against injury by water.

At 13 is shown a similar inflatable bag adapted to be secured to a gun and a bag may be worn on the back as in Fig. 6.

The. inflatable bags 9, 11 and 13 are of rubber or other suitablematerial and within them are smaller bags, or balls, as at 14:, in this instance five in number in each of the arger bags, such balls being of thinner rub- From each of the small bags or balls extends a tube 15 to and substantially through the neck 16 of the larger bags, each tube terminating in. a ball valve, as at 17, arranged around a central valve 18 provided for the inflation of the larger bags, these valves being carried by a metal cap 19 adapted to be threaded upon the terminal of any suitable supply of air under pressure, and all of the valves being self closing against the escape of air from the bags or balls. 1

All of these bags and balls being of slight construction, they will not very materially inconvenience the wearer when collapsed and when desired or needed, owing to the necessity of the wearer passing through a body oi water, they may be inflated from any source of air under pressure, the larger bags being pumped, if desired, as hard as apneumatic tire, and the smaller bags or balls, which may be made of the same class of rubber as the inner tube of a tire, being correspondingly inflated;

Wearing the inflated bags, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, a soldier may freely pass through bodies ofwater of any depth,

- 7 sides oi the breast plate.

buoy up the punctured outer larger bag and the punctured ball.

The advantages attending the use of my invention will be obvious from the foregoing description and it will be observed that I have not limited the construction of the parts as to shape or material as many forms and materials might be utilized, and any source of air under pressure-may be used, such a compressed air tank, when available, or ordinary pumps such as used for inflating tires.

Many changes and variations may also be made in the attaching means for the bags,

Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An equipment for soldiers comprising a suitable breast plate, 01' material proof against injury by water, secured to the breast, and inflatable bags secured to the 4:- An inflatable bag adapted for attaclr ment to parts of a soldiers outfit, provided with a plurality of inner smaller bags or balls, and means for simultaneously inflating' all of said bags or balls.

5. An inflatable bag adapted for attachment to parts of a soldiers outfit, provided with a plurality of inner smaller bags or balls separately inflatable, the outer and each inner bag being provided with suitable inflating means comprising valves which automatically closeagainst outward passage of air.

6. An outer inflatable bag provided'with a. neck, a central inflating valve in said neck through which to inflate the bag, a plurality of inflatable balls inside the bag,

. tubes leading from the balls into the neck of the outer bag, and a valve for each ball tube in said neck, said valves surrounding the central valve of the outer bag.

7 An inflatable bag provided with aneck, a cap closing said neck, a valve in said cap for inflating said bag, a plurality of bags or balls positioned within said first bag, corresponding valves in said cap, and tubes connecting said lastnamed valves with said last named bags or balls.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL a. swanson."

lVitnesses:

H. N. HARMON. H. Resume. 

